Kokkedal Climate Adaptation

In 2012, Kokkedal faced major issues: the Usserød Stream regularly flooded the town, public spaces were worn down, safety was low, and several neighborhoods were socially challenged. The overall idea behind the project was to use climate adaptation as a lever – not only to manage water, but also to connect the town’s fragmented areas, create attractive meeting places, and bring nature closer to the residents.

Instead of hiding stormwater in underground pipes, it is made visible as a beautiful, active element of the urban space. Furthermore, the stream – which once formed the town’s “backside” – has become its unifying front yard. Multi-functional solutions are a core design principle: gardens act as green retention basins, and the local football field is surrounded by a grassy embankment, allowing the field to collect water during cloudburst events.

Rainwater is retained in basins that accommodate the expected volume of 5-year events. During larger rain events, surplus water is controlled and redirected to avoid damage. A coherent terrain-based system channels the water from rainfall into smaller basins, through channels and ditches, into larger basins, and finally into the Usserød Stream – being purified along the way in rain gardens and sedimentation pools.

The new urban and landscape spaces provide gardens, activity areas, nature playgrounds, exercise trails, and outdoor learning environments for schools’ science classes – strengthening both neighborhood bonds and local pride. Kokkedal has become an example of how climate adaptation can unite beauty, technical robustness, and social communities.

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